One of the most common questions I get asked during the breaks at Camp Logos is, “How do I create a sentence diagram?” After a little discussion, I discover the Logos user normally doesn’t want a traditional line diagram (like we learned in middle school), but a block diagram that allows us to see the general thought structure of a biblical passage. Let’s say as we’re reading Philippians 4:9 we’d like to see an “outline” of the text, at least as it appears in English. You’ll discover from what follows that this is a relatively easy (and painless) process in Logos:

Choose File | New | Sentence Diagram.

Name the diagram if you like.

Click Insert Passage.

Type a biblical reference in the Reference box like Phil 4.9 (the passage can be as short or long as you prefer).

Select a Bible like the ESV from the drop down list (a literal translation like the ESV, NASB, KJV, NKJV, or LEB works best for diagrams).

Select Text Flow diagram from the drop down list (this selection produces a block diagram as opposed to Line diagram which creates a traditional sentence diagram).

Select No alternate from the drop down list (you can of course select an alternate line of text if you wish).

Click Insert, which places the passage in the diagramming area

Click and hold the word “learned.”

Drag the word “learned” down one line and to the left so that it appears underneath the phrase “what you have” (notice all of the text following “learned” comes with you).

Click and hold the word “and.”

Drag the word “and” down one line and to the left so that it appears underneath the word “learned” (notice all of the text following “and” comes with you).

Repeat the above steps until you have created the block or text flow diagram you desire.

You can now choose the Sentence Diagram panel menu and choose Print / Export to create a hard or electronic copy of this diagram.

See? I told you it would be easy. The key to making the block diagram is to select Text Flow diagram from the drop down list when you initially insert the passage.

I can’t begin to tell you how many of these I created on paper as I prepared sermons before Logos came along. Enjoy the technology with which the Lord has blessed our generation!

Today’s post is from Morris Proctor, certified and authorized trainer for Logos Bible Software. Morris has trained thousands of Logos users at his two-day Camp Logos training seminars and provides many training materials.

Normally I try to address as many people as possible in my Monday blogs. Today, however, is an exception as I pass along a very specific Greek tip that I e-mailed a Logos user in response to his question:

I was wondering if there was a way to search for something like a Greek word within a parsed form of another Greek word. In particular, I wanted to search for the Greek word en, within four words, of the Greek letter omega with an iota subscript.

I’m happy to report here’s one way to do just that:

Click the Search icon

Select Bible as the search type (1)

Select from the drop down list a Greek text like Nestle Aland 27th Edition (2)

Typing g: alerts Logos that we’re going to type the transliteration of a Greek word which is why the program lists all of the Greek words matching the transliteration. WITHIN 4 words is the command for a proximity search which locates the two Greek terms when they occur within 4 words of each other in the same verse. To disregard the verse restriction and find the two Greek terms within 4 words of each other even if they’re in different verses, select Basic as the search type.

These types of power features that are a little off the beaten path are among the many subjects covered in Camp Logos 2 Live DVD training, which is still available to pre-order!

How has your study of the original languages enhanced your understanding of scripture? Leave a comment and let us know!

Today’s post is from Morris Proctor, certified and authorized trainer for Logos Bible Software. Morris has trained thousands of Logos users at his two-day Camp Logos training seminars and provides many training materials.

As you perhaps know, Logos allows us to create reading plans for any book in our libraries, with the most popular being a plan to read through the Bible. People often email asking if it’s possible to create a chronological Bible reading plan, that is, they want to read the biblical events in the order that they actually happened. If you would like such a plan, here’s how to create it:

Choose File | Reading Plan

Name the plan something like Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Select a Bible (from the drop down list) on which to base the plan

Click the passage drop down list where you select the range of Scripture to be included in the plan

Copy / Paste the biblical references from this text file into the New reference range boxHint: Press Ctrl + A (PC) or Cmd + A (Mac) to select all text, then copy / paste like normal

Name this range by typing in the Title box something like Chronological

Click Save

Select from the drop down lists the frequency and start / stop times for the plan

Click Go to create the plan

This Chronological Bible Reading Plan will now be displayed in the ribbon of the Home Page!

Today’s post is from Morris Proctor, certified and authorized trainer for Logos Bible Software. Morris has trained thousands of Logos users at his two-day Camp Logos training seminars and provides many training materials.

One of the most powerful, yet underused, features in Logos Bible Software is the Louw-Nida (LN) Numbers that appear in English Bibles with the reverse interlinear option. They’re vitally important because they disambiguate the meaning of a word. In other words, an LN number indicates a word’s precise meaning in a specific context.

For example, in Matthew 17:5 the Lord admonishes people to “listen” to His beloved son. When we look up the meaning of the Greek word (akouo) translated listen we discover it could mean “hear,” “listen,” “pay attention to”, “obey”, etc. Which definition is correct for Matthew 17:5?

Johannes Louw and Eugene Nida, the authors of the LN numbers, point to what they believe to be the correct contextual definition of a word. Here’s one simple way to use these numbers:

Open an English Bible with the reverse interlinear option such as the ESV

Navigate to a verse such as Matthew 17:5

Click the Interlinear icon on the Bible’s toolbar to display the reverse interlinear pane at the bottom of the Bible

Click a word in the Bible such as “listen” to move the interlinear pane to that word

Notice a LN number for each word appears in the interlinear pane

Click LN 36.14, which is the LN number for “listen”

The Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains opens to an article containing a complete definition for akouo in the context of Matthew 17:5! You don’t have to select from 10 possible meanings. Drs. Louw and Nida disambiguate the meaning for you.

The extended training on the LN Numbers is one of the favorite sessions in Camp Logos 2. We’ve taken that session and expanded it on our Camp Logos 2 LIVE DVD-ROM, which is currently available on pre-pub. Here’s a sneak peak at the video training that corresponds to the above instructions for the LN numbers.

How has studying the original languages helped your Bible study? Leave a comment and let us know!

Today’s post is from Morris Proctor, certified and authorized trainer for Logos Bible Software. Morris has trained thousands of Logos users at his two-day Camp Logos training seminars and provides many training materials.

If you’ve been to Camp Logos before you know I’m a big fan of the right click menu which houses shortcuts to numerous Logos features. Here’s one of my favorites.

Let’s say you’ve previously created a Theology Books search collection. You’re now studying John 1:3 in your favorite Bible and you want to discover where this verse is mentioned only in this collection of theological resources. Try this:

Right click on any word in John 1:3 of your open Bible

Select Reference John 1:3

Select Search entire library (You can’t designate a specific collection on the right click menu, but since searching is so fast it’s OK to search the entire library.)

Select a specific collection from the drop down range list on the Search panel (In other words change Entire Library to a collection like Theology Books.)

Notice the search displays the location of where your exact reference is mentioned such as John 1:3, Jn1.3, verse 3, etc.

To transform this exact search into an intersection:

Change the equals sign ( = ) in the search query to the tilde ( ~ )

Press the Enter key to generate the search

Now notice you’re getting hits such as John 1:1-5, Jn 1.2-6, etc. As long as John 1:3 intersects with the reference in the book, Logos finds it!

This specific search is but one of many powerful Logos features we cover in Camp Logos 2.

And some exciting news is that you have a couple of upcoming opportunities to participate in Camp Logos 2.

First, we are having our first National Camp Logos 2 on November 10-11 in Bellingham, WA. This is our first National Camp 2 covering Logos 4. In addition to the beautiful scenery, you’ll have two full days of learning how to customize your Logos, as well as catered meals and a tour of the new Logos Headquarters! Register and learn more details about National Camp 2 here.

Also, if you haven’t heard yet, we now have Camp Logos 2 LIVE on DVD-ROM available to pre-order. These DVDs contain in-depth content on how to take the next step with your Logos Bible Software, but it also features arrows, highlights, or callouts for every instruction that I give. There are also many graphics spread throughout the training to call attention to important concepts. If you enjoyed Camp Logos LIVE, I guarantee that you’ll also enjoy Camp 2 LIVE.

And remember, there is both a PC and a Mac version that is tailored to the corresponding version of Logos. Pre-order your copy today!

What right click menu shortcut have you found the most helpful? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Today’s post is from Morris Proctor, certified and authorized trainer for Logos Bible Software. Morris has trained thousands of Logos users at his two-day Camp Logos training seminars and provides many training materials.

A Logos user recently e-mailed stating that he was writing a paper on the purpose of Christ’s crucifixion and needed to find where that subject was discussed in his Logos books. I suggested that a proximity search containing multiple groups of words would do the trick. Here’s how to execute that search:

Click the Search icon

Select Basic as the Search type

Select from the drop down list the books to be searched such as the EntireLibrary

This search locates the places where the words Christ or Jesus or Lord occur within 6 words of death or cross or crucifixion. These results then occur within 6 words of purpose or purposes or reason or reasons. In other words, Logos locates all the places authors write about the purpose or reason for the Lord’s death on the cross!

This type of power proximity search with multiple groupings of words is just one of many Logos features covered in Camp Logos 2, which is a two-day, hands-on training seminar that goes beyond the numerous topics discussed in Camp Logos.

And I’m very pleased to make a couple of very important announcements regarding Camp Logos 2:

First, we’re presenting a National Camp Logos 2 in Bellingham, WA on November 10-11. Each June, Logos welcomes users from around the globe to the headquarters to discover many exciting aspects of the software. We’ve decided to do the same for Camp 2.

At this national seminar you’ll not only learn additional powerful Logos features, you’ll also hear from Logos leaders about the latest developments for Logos Bible Software, Logos Apps, Vryso, Proclaim, and more. Also at the national seminars we’ll enjoy a couple of meals together which are included in your registration fee. Make sure to visit mpseminars.com for more information and to register.

Also, in case you can’t attend a live Camp Logos 2 seminar or need a refresher after attending, Camp Logos 2 Live DVD training is now available on pre-pub! This four disc set contains nearly 10 hours of video instruction and crystal clear video screenshots enhanced with highlights, call outs, and on screen graphics. Rather than describe the project in this blog, please visit the pre-pub page for complete details and to place your order.

This is the most extensive product that we have ever produced and is a direct result of the countless hours that our team has spent on the project. Recent Camp 2 attendees have been very gracious in their responses and we hope that Camp Logos 2 will encourage you as well.

Have you ever been to a Camp Logos seminar or purchased Camp Logos LIVE? If so, how has it helped you in your use of Logos? Leave a comment and let us know!

Drag That’s Easy for You to Say from the left side of the Library to the Prefer these resources list on the right. (3)
VERY IMPORTANT: make sure this resource is in the top five of your prioritized English topical books like Bible dictionaries

Close the Library

Open an English Bible to a passage containing the name of a person or place such as Isaiah 7:1

Right click on the name of the person or place like Uzziah (4)

Select on the right menu Selection “your word” like Selection Uzziah (5)

Select on the right menu That’s Easy for You to Say (6)

The resource should open to the phonetic spelling of your word!

If you’re unfamiliar with phonetic spellings, display the table of contents of That’s Easy for You to Say and click Code for Pronunciation which offers excellent explanations and examples.

What’s the most difficult Biblical name to pronounce in your opinion? Leave a comment and let us know!

Today’s post is from Morris Proctor, certified and authorized trainer for Logos Bible Software. Morris has trained thousands of Logos users at his two-day Camp Logos training seminars and provides many training materials.

One of the many things I appreciate about Logos Bible Software is that simultaneously it’s as powerful or simple as we want it to be. One moment we can execute in depth syntactical searches and the next moment read Psalm 23 from our Preferred Bible. Today’s tip falls on the simple, practical side.

No doubt you have a favorite calendar devotional that you enjoy reading like My Utmost for His Highest or Morning and Evening. If so, this feature’s for you:

Open the Library

Enter this text in the Library’s Find box: type:calendar

Click your favorite devotional from the list that appears to open it

Drag the tab of the open devotional to the Shortcuts bar

Now any time you want, click the icon on the Shortcuts bar to open your devotional to today’s reading!

What is your Favorite Devotional to read on Logos? Leave a comment and let us know!

Today’s post is from Morris Proctor, certified and authorized trainer for Logos Bible Software. Morris has trained thousands of Logos users at his two-day Camp Logos training seminars and provides many training materials.

On a recent televised political debate, one of the candidates referred to the “fact of evolution” followed by condescending remarks toward another candidate who didn’t believe in this “fact of evolution.” After my blood stopped boiling, I thought of Peter’s admonition to always [be] prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15, ESV). The Greek word translated defense sounds a lot like the English word apologetics which is “simply defined as the defense of the Christian faith” (The Apologetics Study Bible).

To help us make a defense, Logos places within most of its base collections The Apologetics Study Bible. Make sure to open this resource and display its table of contents. After surveying the contents of this study Bible and I think you’ll be very impressed with what you find!

I won’t recount all of the features of this tremendous resource which you can read about at the Logos website, but I will make mention of a few.

First, Logos assigns the type Bible Notes to this resource which means it will show up in the Passage Guide under the Commentaries section. This study Bible is much like a commentary in that the contributors offer comments on numerous passages of Scripture, but their insights are geared toward defending the faith.

In addition to the versified comments, various Twisted Scripture Notes are interspersed throughout the study Bible. These expanded notes again focus on verses of the Bible, but here the author explains how various individuals or groups have incorrectly interpreted or applied the passage. The Passage Guide will also locate the Twisted Scripture Notes for you.

Also, appearing throughout the resource are brief, but very informative articles on numerous subjects related to apologetics such as, Evolution: Fact or Fantasy?, How Can Modern Medicine Relate to the Old Testament?, Does the Bible Teach reincarnation?, etc. Since these articles deal with subjects and not verses, the Commentaries section of the Passage Guide won’t find them for you.

One way to track down these articles is by using a proximity search:

Choose Tools | Collections and create an Apologetics Collection making sure to place in it The Apologetics Study Bible